Techniques and Dao

Chapter 104 Master Ruokong (2)

"What exactly is the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism?"

Hua Sheng had been in the pitch-black room for three days.

He felt as if his days and nights were reversed, and he could not distinguish time or direction at all.

As for the reason for being locked up, it was because Hanamori violated the "Theravada Pali Vinaya" in the temple, but he himself was ultimately unable to understand the contents.

In short, it was a kind of precept, and Hua Sheng reflected that his actions at Daqian Temple a few days ago were indeed impulsive. Even if it was considered "picking quarrels and provoking trouble," he should indeed be detained.

But what's even more puzzling than being confined is why Master Ruokong was able to take away the Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff).
This golden cudgel is certainly not the kind of "iron rod" that Master Ruokong casually mentioned. It is not only the divine weapon that caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, but also the supreme magic weapon that helped the Academy of Arts and Sciences turn the tide of the battle and break through the Jupiter Veil during the Qiankun Defense War.

How could a weapon that even the most powerful immortals fear become an ordinary iron rod in the hands of a monk?
Not only that, but this monk also caught a blade with his bare hands?
Not only that, but this monk also caught a blade with his bare hand!
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have dared to imagine it.

"This is... the Ruyi Jingu Bang! The Ruyi Jingu Bang of the Victorious Fighting Buddha, Sun Wukong!"

Hua Sheng muttered to himself, "It's not a high-quality counterfeit. Even the Sui Xing Sha can be pierced through it. How could Master Ruo Kong catch it with his bare hands?"

But even after racking his brains, Hanamori couldn't get an answer.

All he knew was that ever since the Ruyi Jingu Bang was taken away, Abbot Ruokong had covered himself with some kind of "Diamond Shield," and when he came to his senses, he was already in this equally dark confinement room.

The confinement room was completely dark, and he had been fitted with a magical restriction ring, similar to a "delicate ring," on his wrist.

Unlike the one in the Pear Garden Center before, this exquisite ring begins to restrict movement from the Illusionary Technique level. He can't even cast a fire spell for illumination; he seems to have become an ordinary prisoner.

Only the crimson flame remained within the iron chain around his chest. The Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff) was nowhere in the Daqian Temple, hidden by Master Ruokong.

It seems there's no way to leave, so I'll just stay here in the darkness.

The room was very small, at most ten feet square. Hua Sheng groped his way to the wall like a blind man, and sat down helplessly against the wall.

He suddenly thought of the Supreme Lord Xiaojun.

Whenever he encountered difficulties, Taishang Xiaojun would always appear. But at this moment, he was nowhere to be seen.

The atmosphere was both lonely and desolate. He had thought that returning to Saint Pingning would allow him to return to the Academy of Arts and Sciences and live his original life.

But life always moves forward. Even if you return to the Academy of Arts and Sciences, it will never be the same again.

At least, the rain is gone.

The rain will never come again.

The Academy of Arts and Crafts will not provide for the future, and even in the "real world" that one imagines, the future is already... in this world.

Hana curled up into a ball, and the familiar feeling of loneliness returned.

This sense of déjà vu is something I only felt on nights when I was a child in an orphanage.

As Hanamori grew older, she rarely recalled these memories, especially during the year or so after arriving in Seihei. Hanamori had thought that loneliness would fade with age, but in fact, the feeling would never disappear.

Loneliness can be forgotten occasionally, but it can stay with you for a lifetime.

Hanamori buried her head in the small world formed by her hands and knees, and soon became drowsy.

Whether it was day or night, a thin sliver of light appeared in the darkness. Noticing this light, Hana knew another day had passed.

Because it was a vegetarian meal that the young novice monk Buxu brought to him.

This vegetarian meal is eaten once a day.

Each day, Hua Sheng can only know what she will eat in the darkness by the brief moments of light.

In the dim light, Buxu's small, tender hands could be seen.

Those little hands reached in and took out yesterday's vegetarian food tray. Perhaps Hua Sheng had a poor appetite, as she had only eaten a few bites of vegetables these past few days.

Bu Xu asked, "Benefactor, you've only eaten so little again?"

Hanamori replied, "Yes."

He felt he had to give some kind of answer so that Bu Xu would know he was still alive.

Buxu said in a child's voice, "Although you have broken the temple rules, there is no need for you to not eat. Otherwise, even if you leave here, you will still be lying in a sickbed."

How much longer will I be locked up?

"I heard it was ten days. There should be six days left."

Hua Sheng sighed, "Then... after we leave, there will be less than ninety days left before we can leave the temple."

“Since you can’t leave, you might as well settle down. That’s not a bad idea. People who are usually short-tempered and easily angered will become calm and peaceful here.”

"Yes... Buddhism, right? A place of purity."

The young novice monk said nothing, and placed the tray of vegetarian food into the room by the light. He was just about to turn the light off.

Hua Sheng said, "Bu Xu, wait!"

"Is there anything else, benefactor?"

"I want to ask you a question."

"Please don't make things difficult for me, benefactor. I'm just doing odd jobs."

Hua Sheng quickly said, "No... I don't want you to do anything, I just want to ask a question."

"You may ask, benefactor. But this humble monk knows little."

"I want to know, who exactly is this Master Ruokong?"

"Master Ruokong is the abbot of Daqian Temple."

"I know he's the abbot, but what I mean is, what exactly are his abilities? How could he catch the Ruyi Jingu Bang with just one hand!"

Bu Xu replied, "The Golden Cudgel..."

"Yes. Do you know Sun Wukong?" "Are you referring to the Victorious Fighting Buddha?"

Hua Sheng perked up immediately and said, "Yes, yes, yes! You should know the Victorious Fighting Buddha, he is Sun Wukong. My Ruyi Jingu Bang is the Victorious Fighting Buddha's weapon."

Buxu replied, "This humble monk understands. That must be an extraordinary weapon."

"Yes. But why is this weapon completely powerless in front of Master Ruokong? I mean, I have personally tested the power of the Ruyi Jingu Bang."

Hua Sheng voiced the question that had been on his mind.

But Bu Xu did not answer.

Hua Sheng thought that this young novice monk probably didn't know much about magical artifacts and weapons, and might not understand this issue.

"It's nothing, I was just asking casually..." Hua Sheng wanted to say that he was just asking casually.

But the young novice replied, "This humble monk doesn't understand the specifics either. However, this humble monk thinks it's not without reason. Does the benefactor know who Master Ruokong's disciple is?"

"who?"

“Master Ruokong is a disciple of the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit.”

"Oh……"

Hua Sheng thought he should have realized that someone so young who could manage such a large temple like Daqian Zen Temple must be a high-ranking monk. It wouldn't be surprising if he were a disciple of some Buddha.

Given the vastness of Shengpingning and its interactions with the celestial realm, it's natural that it might also contain Buddhas.

"Do you understand now, benefactor?"

"I know that Master Ruokong is a disciple of that Buddha with profound magical powers, right?"

"I suppose so," Buxu added, "but does the benefactor know who the Sandalwood Merit Buddha is?"

"A very powerful Buddha?"

"You just mentioned Sun Wukong? Sun Wukong was the name of the Victorious Fighting Buddha before he became a Buddha in the Western Paradise. Do you know the name of the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit before he became a Buddha?"

"Could it be..."

The young novice monk slowly said, "His name is Master Xuanzang. He was also once respectfully called Tripitaka Master."

"You mean Tang Sanzang?!"

"Master Ruokong was the last disciple that Tang Sanzang accepted after he became the Sandalwood Merit Buddha. He was also his last disciple."

Even after Buxu left, Huasheng's heart remained unsettled.

If Master Ruokong had received Tang Sanzang's true teachings, how could he possibly be a match for him? It would be perfectly reasonable for the Ruyi Jingu Bang to be taken away.

Realizing that he had no choice but to accept his fate, and knowing he was trapped in Daqian Temple and unable to leave anytime soon, Hua Sheng picked up his bowl and chopsticks in the darkness and began to eat silently.

These past few days, in the darkness, Hua Sheng has been meditating and recuperating alone. Eating, meditating, eating, meditating, in this cycle of life. Unbeknownst to him, his injuries have slowly healed.

On the tenth day, Hua Sheng was meditating when suddenly a blinding golden light shone into the darkness. At first, he thought it was the young novice monk bringing vegetarian food again. But the light was unusual; it was so bright that it almost blinded Hua Sheng. He shielded his eyes from the light and, through his dazed state, he saw the silhouette of a tall monk.

"Benefactor, what have you gained from these ten days of quiet recuperation?" It was the voice of Master Ruokong.

"Abbot, could you dim this Buddha Light searchlight a bit?"

Hua Sheng still harbored some resentment about being confined.

“The Buddha’s light shines everywhere. All beings are equal,” said Master Ruokong. “But you could put on a pair of sunglasses.”

"My magic has been locked..."

As Hua Shenggang finished speaking, he realized that the exquisite ring on his hand was gone. The surrounding walls were also gradually dissolving, and there was no longer any resemblance to a solitary confinement cell. He was standing outdoors; no wonder the sunlight was so blinding.

Hua Sheng asked, "Where's the cage from before? Where was I locked up?"

Ruokong bowed and said, "Benefactor, do you know of a kind of cage... called drawing a circle on the ground as a prison?"

"Master, you mean..."

"When people can't figure things out, they trap themselves in this self-imposed prison."

Hua Sheng replied, "Now you have to understand, even if you don't."

"Then come with me."

"Where to go?"

"Let's go get some tea."

The abbot's room is one zhang square in size.

When Hua Sheng followed Master Ruokong into the house, the scene almost made him think of four words: "utterly destitute".

The room was extremely sparsely furnished. Not only was the room size comparable to his own "drawn circle on the ground" (a self-imposed prison), but the furnishings were also far inferior to the guest room he had initially stayed in.

There was only a simple wooden single bed, without even a mosquito net.

Next to the bed was a single seat and a wooden tea table that could only hold a teapot and two teacups at most.

"Please sit down." Master Ruokong pointed to the only wooden chair in the room.

Since it was the only wooden chair, how could Hua Sheng sit down? He said, "Master, this... you should sit. I'll stand."

"You are a guest, so I will stand."

"No, no, no... I'm no guest at all. I was just released from prison. Abbot, you're too kind..." Hua Sheng thought for a moment and said, "How about I conjure up a stool?"

As he spoke, Hua Sheng conjured a simple chair in the few small spaces in the room. To match the old house, he had to make the stool small and broken, almost to the point of making a rickety stool to fit the "decoration style" of the house.

(End of this chapter)